Subject: Anti-Gay Marriage Bill Introduced In Congress - Act Now
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 8 May 1996 13:05:22 -0400

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NEWS from the
Human Rights Campaign

1101 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
email:  [email-masked]
WWW:    http://www.hrcusa.org
________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Wednesday, May 8, 1996

           REPORT EXPOSES EXTREMISTS' ORCHESTRATION OF
                             ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE LEGISLATION 
                                                
                  An Election-Year Strategy to Score Points Against
                                Gay Men and Lesbians,' HRC Says

   ACT NOW - Send an instant message to your Members of Congress
                              through HRC's Online Action Center
                                           http://www.hrcusa.org
                                
WASHINGTON -- Religious political extremists have orchestrated
the introduction of anti-gay marriage bills in at least 33 state
legislatures and the U.S. Congress in an election-year strategy
to score political points against gay men and lesbians, according
to the Human Rights Campaign.

     HRC, the largest national lesbian and gay political
organization, issued a report today on gay marriage to coincide
with the unveiling of the first federal bill to ban same-sex
marriage. That measure is being sponsored by Reps. Bob Barr,
R-Ga., and Steve Largent, R-Ok. 

     "This is a calculated national assault on the lives of
lesbian and gay people," HRC Executive Director Elizabeth Birch
said at a news conference today. "Religious political extremists
are using this issue as an election year baseball bat to bash gay
Americans and score political points. These elected leaders are
supposed to be focusing on the business of the country. Don't
they have anything better to do than fixate on divisive social
issues?" 

     Daniel Zingale, HRC's political director, noted that the
bills are unnecessary and may be unconstitutional.

     "All these bills are being positioned as pre-emptive strikes
against the possibility that the state of Hawaii may soon
legalize same-sex marriage," Zingale said. "However, Hawaii is
unlikely to approve same-sex marriage for at least two years, so
these states are legislating against a non-existent institution.
Plus, they may violate the  full faith and credit clause' of the
U.S. Constitution."

     HRC released copies of its report, "Wedded to Intolerance,"
which exposes the false and defamatory rhetoric being used by
religious political organizations as they spread these bills from
statehouse to statehouse, and attempt to inject this issue into
the presidential campaign. To date, eight states have passed laws
that would ban marriage between people of the same sex. They are:
Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota
and Utah. Anti-gay marriage legislation remains pending in eight
states, and measures were defeated, withdrawn or killed in 17
states.

     Among the report's key findings is that the overall anti-gay
marriage strategy was hatched at a meeting in January of
religious political extremists. That meeting included many of the
same religious political leaders who were involved in crafting
and introducing anti-gay ballot initiatives.

     "Since most of the discriminatory ballot initiatives failed,
these extremists went hunting for a new way to scapegoat gay men
and lesbians," Birch said. "This is just a new manifestation of
the same hateful tactics they have used in the past."

     Also, Jay Sekulow, an attorney affiliated with Pat
Robertson's Christian Coalition, has admitted in several public
forums that his mission this year is to see anti-gay marriage
bills introduced in all 50 state legislatures, according to the
report.

     Finally, HRC found that coordinated messages have emerged in
the nationwide campaign to pass laws restricting marriage.

     A  primary tactic is to mischaracterize gay marriage as an
attack on heterosexuals and on traditional marriage and family.

     A secondary message is to claim that legalizing gay marriage
opens the door to absurd pairings or multi-person unions.

     A third line of argument tries to link gay marriage to the
spread of HIV and AIDS and plays upon the unfounded stereotype
that gay people are incapable of long-term relationships.

     The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian
and gay political organization, with members throughout the
country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign
support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay
Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in
the community.

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